Compare towns
Brandon vs Jay vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
Jay has the highest household income ($75k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brandon | Jay | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120Highest |
471 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1Lowest 16% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Brandon and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Jay and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
$234,200±$45kHighest 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Jay and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225 14% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241Highest 16% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brandon and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #69 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.